


Once More

by FromAnonymousToZ



Series: Lanternuary 2021 [7]
Category: Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon & Comics)
Genre: AU, Amnesia, Angst, Bittersweet Ending, I'm gonna blame the OOC Beast on the loss of memory, Lanternuary, Lanternuary 2021, M/M, Memory Loss, Mild Hurt/Comfort, This gets dreadfully saccharine, This is the one I'm least happy with, and not the fun kind, i'll be honest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:21:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28649718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FromAnonymousToZ/pseuds/FromAnonymousToZ
Summary: The Beast has lost his memories.For the Lanternuary 2021 prompt: ex novo: "anew"
Relationships: The Beast/Enoch (Over the Garden Wall)
Series: Lanternuary 2021 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2087931
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	Once More

Enoch doesn’t have to reteach the Beast how to hunt. 

That, at least, seems intuitive. It’s a small mercy. Enoch doesn’t think he could have taught the Beast the songs that he had once shared with Enoch in the silver light of the moon. Songs that had once been offered as gifts in their courting dance. 

But the Beast has remembered very little else since his rebirth, and Enoch has taken the task upon himself to reteach him. 

It’s a foolish thing, one that does himself more harm than good. Nothing scalds more than reaching for the Beast and feeling the creature flinch away or teasing, only to be met by uninterested silence. It makes a part of Enoch shrivel up and  _ ache _ every time. No, nothing remains of the Beast Enoch spent years coaxing into love but the framework. 

And yet, he cannot make himself stop, cannot bring himself to turn his former companion to the wolves. 

He swears to himself it’s out of friendship, but a deep selfish part of him knows it’s more. 

It’s been a full moon cycle since the Beast’s memory had left with the brief extinguishing and reigniting of the flame, and that time had been filled with explaining to the Beast who he was and doing his best to prepare his old friend for the cutthroat world he has no recollection of. 

He flips through the book of sketches he’s had Miss Clara draft for him for explanation purposes. 

“Where were we?” he asks absentmindedly. 

“The lineage of the Spring Wardens.” The Beast says from where he sits studying a map Enoch has given him. For his part, he has done very well, perfectly well, considering his lantern bearer had led him to Enoch in tears explaining how the flame had gone out for only a moment. The Beast quickly learns and rarely tries to test Enoch, but it is excruciating, and Enoch has found himself weeping without tears on more than one occasion, forced to pause his teaching to bite back sorrow. 

“Ah, did I describe their foresight and how they tend to abuse it-?” 

“Yes.” 

“And the Tzar’s death?” 

“You informed me that I killed him.” 

“And Lady Spring?” 

“You were detailing her newly upset allyship with Madame Summer.” The Beast recites, eyes a flat white. 

“Yes, I was, wasn’t I,” Enoch mutters and shifts to the sketch of Lady Spring to place the paper before the Beast. 

“About three centuries ago,” He starts, then pauses as the door of the barn creaks open and Miss Clara enters, her braids in a mess, her arms full of maps. 

“Alright, dear,” She hums happily, handing the papers to Enoch’s waiting ribbons. “Those are all of the most recent maps I can find of the Winter Wood. I’m not sure how accurate they are, of course.” 

“Thank you, Miss Clara. As always, your services are invaluable.” Enoch says as he flips through the maps with his ribbons. “I won’t keep you any longer.” 

“Any time, dear,” She turns to the Beast and curtsies. “Mr. Hope.” She waits for just a moment, and the Beast only blinks at her. 

She sighs, shoulders slumping, and makes her way out of the barn. 

Enoch feels a small part of himself curl up beneath the earth to cry. 

He forces the maypole to turn back to the papers in his ribbons. 

“As I was saying,” he stumbles onward. “Around three centuries ago, Madame Summer and Lady Spring had a falling out due to a disagreement over how they divided up souls.” 

“I know we were in love.” It’s the first time the Beast has spoken unprompted since his flame extinguished. 

Enoch splutters. 

“Excuse me?” He asks, floundering when he manages to pick his jaw off the ground. 

“I know that you loved me and that I loved you.” His claws tap against the ground, and Enoch stares at him agape. “I may be lacking my memories, but I am not blind to what is around me.” 

Enoch doesn’t know what he can say to that, he  _ could _ deny it, but he can’t find the words. 

The Beast continues, and Enoch listens dumbstruck. 

“You’re an interesting creature, Harvest Lord, strange, certainly, but interesting.” Claws tap against the edge of the paper. “You have been more than gracious, offering your lands and your protection, not to mention your service in teaching me what I need to be aware of.

“I enjoy your company, Autumn Lord, and I think I could grow to be your companion again. I will warn you it will be a long time before I grow back into the being I was, that is, if I ever come to be the same creature again.”

A clawed hand catches one of his ribbons and holds it against the Beast’s chest, eyes dripping with sincerity. 

“I must ask of you, patience,” The Beast’s voice is earnest. “You are already being very generous, but I plead that you give me your patience. I cannot demand it, Harvest King.”

“Oh, dear,” Enoch sighs, voice raw and touched. “I would wait forever for you, neighbor, but you needn’t try to be my companion again. Your company then was enough, and I won’t ask of you what you cannot control.” 

The Beast waves a clawed hand errantly.

“Nonsense,” He hums. “I most  _ certainly _ can fall back in love with you. I have no question of that.” 

Enoch makes a choking sound at the Beast’s bluntness. He swallows thickly. 

He offers a ribbon, which the Beast gently takes to fret in his claws.

“Alright,” Enoch says, and his voice shakes when he speaks. “We’ll try again. You have my patience.”

The Beast hums. 

“And that is all I ask.” He murmurs, voice soft. “You were discussing the falling out of spring and summer.” 

Enoch nods dumbly, collecting his frayed nerves as hope digs its treacherous claws into him, and begins his lecture once more. 

It will be many years before the Beast becomes the creature he was before, and many more before they would meet as more than friends in the embrace of lovers. 

But in the end, it will all be worth it, to fall in love again.

**Author's Note:**

> And that wraps up lanternuary. I should be back on my irregular posting schedule, going awol for months before cropping up again for a few weeks soon enough.


End file.
